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3. How much do you charge and how do you expect payment?
Prices for personal fitness instruction vary widely based on where you live and trainer qualification and experience. As with everything else, you usually get what you pay for, but there’a no guarantee that
most expensive trainer will be best suited for you and your goals.
Talk to other people who have used fitness trainers. Or call health clubs near you to determine average rate in your area. If trainer is meeting you at your home, expect to pay slightly more than average. If you are meeting at a health club, prepare to cover cost of a guest fee if there is one.
Get specifics on all fees and how payment is to be made. Some trainers charge on a per session basis, while others offer packages and discounted rates for a given number of pre-paid sessions. Some accept only cash. Others accept checks and credit cards. Most fitness trainers have some sort of cancellation policy. Agree on all financial obligations before first session and insist that both parties sign a billing contract.
Avoid at all costs trainer who responds to a question about fees with statements like "How much can you afford?" or "How much are you looking to spend?" This is someone who has their wallet—not your fitness goals—in mind.
5. How do they look?
You should never base your selection solely on physical appearance. A person with a flawless-looking body may not know first thing about safely teaching you how to achieve your own goals. This is especially true if they have achieved their own results through things like drugs, eating disorders or exercise obsession.
The person you hire will be teaching you skills and lifestyle habits and doesn’t need to look like a model in a fitness magazine. But trainers do need to practice what they preach. Let’s face it. Are you really going to respect someone’s opinion if you’re in better shape than they are? Probably not.
6. What’s your comfort level?
Above all, make sure you choose a trainer with whom you feel comfortable and whether their personality is a good match with yours. Above all, trust your instincts. Hiring someone with superior training knowledge is worthless if you don’t feel comfortable. You need to trust, respect and feel at ease with them.
You wouldn’t buy a pair of exercise shoes without at least trying them on to see if they’re comfortable. The same concept holds for hiring a personal fitness trainer. Set up an interview, ask right questions, and follow your instincts for perfect fit.
Jon Gestl, CSCS, is a personal fitness trainer and instructor in Chicago specializing in in-home and in-office fitness training. He is a United States National Aerobic Champion silver and bronze medalist and world-ranked sportaerobic competitor. He can be contacted at jongestl@jongestl.com.
